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Scheduling Counseling Appointments

IMPORTANT: As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, the Counseling Center remains closed to in-person appointments and walk-in's for scheduling. Please be assured we are here for you by phone or Zoom! 

To schedule an appointment, it is most always preferable and more efficient to call to speak with one of our Clinical Services Coordinators to find an appointment time that works best for your schedule (we currently do not offer online scheduling). We recognize there are some instances where calling is not possible due to phone reception, time zone differences, or lack of access to a U.S. phone. These are the options for scheduling a counseling appointment during COVID-19:

1)    Preferred Call 603-646-9442 between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4p.m. ET, Monday-Friday. If you leave a message after these hours, we will return your call the next business day.

2)    Email counseling@dartmouth.edu to let us know you are not able to call to schedule an appointment. Please leave some time options within the Eastern Time Zone you are available for an appointment between the hours of 9 a.m. ET and 3 p.m. ET. 

NOTE: Please be aware that email is not confidential and is not checked outside of office hours/when the Counseling Center is closed, there are delays with email, and it should not be used for urgent concerns.  For the most confidential and timely communication, please call the Counseling Center during office hours:  Monday – Friday between 8 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time. 
 

Crisis Mental Health Services

The Counseling Center offers 24-hour crisis (emergency) mental health services for enrolled students or for those who are concerned about an enrolled student. While most counseling services are scheduled on an appointment basis, there may be crisis situations that require immediate or same-day intervention.

A crisis might involve:

  • Thoughts and/or plans to hurt yourself or someone else
  • Engaging in a behavior that is life-threatening
  • If you have been assaulted, physically or sexually
  • Concern for a friend

* During Regular Business Hours (M-F, 8am-4pm): call (603) 646-9442 and ask to speak with the counselor on-call.

* After Regular Business Hours: call (603) 646-9442 and choose option #1 to be connected with an on-call provider.

If you are not able to call and you are in the US, please contact The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline Chat that provides free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, across the United States. 

If you are outside of the US, please find crisis phone numbers at the Suicide Prevention, Awareness, and Support website, or call a local hospital. You can also find information at the International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP). IASP is an online resource that provided phone numbers to crisis crises centers in Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, Oceania and South America.
 

 

What to Expect

The first appointment with the Counseling Center is called a "triage" appointment. The total appointment time is 45 minutes. The first 15 minutes are spent completing an online assessment and questionnaire. After, the student meets with a counselor for up to 30 minutes to discuss their concerns. At the end of the appointment, the counselor will make recommendations for the next step. Sometimes students find the triage appointment has met their needs and no further services are necessary.

When further services are needed, the triage counselor will discuss their recommendations with the student. Options might include the following:

  • a referral to one of our workshops or therapy groups
  • an appointment for an Intake for short-term individual counseling within the Counseling Center (Intake appointments are usually scheduled the following week to give students time to think about their therapy goals.)
  • a referral to meet with a dietician
  • a referral to other campus or community resources
  • a referral for a psychiatric medication evaluation
  • a referral to an off-campus mental health provider
  • if your situation is critical, we offer same-day crisis appointments

In order to meet significant student demand and use its resources most effectively, the Counseling Center utilizes a short-term therapy model. When a student is referred for an "Intake" appointment at the Counseling Center, the counselor and student work together to determine the number and type of sessions that are needed based on the nature of the student's concerns and available resources. If longer term counseling is needed, the counselor will help a student find a referral to a therapist in the community.

Request a Specific Counselor

Students who are referred to the Counseling Center for short-term individual counseling may request a specific counselor on the basis of gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or professional training. This may mean a longer wait until the requested counselor becomes available.

Canceling Appointments

If you have a scheduled appointment with the Counseling Center that you need to cancel, please notify us as soon as possible, preferably 24 hours in advance. This will allow us to offer the time to another student. Appointments can be cancelled online through the Health Service portal (accessed through Banner) or by calling the Counseling Center at 603-646-9442.

Cost

There is no charge for counseling services at the Counseling Center.